Rosemary: useful properties and contraindications

Rosemary is an evergreen shrub belonging to the family of yasnotkovyh. Homeland plants - the Mediterranean basin. Wild species of this spice can still be found in North Africa, on the island of Cyprus and in Turkey. In other countries with a warm climate, it is cultivated as a cultivated plant.

In cooking, rosemary is used as a seasoning for fish and meat dishes. This spice, which has a bitter-spicy taste and a sweetish aroma with notes of camphor, pine and citrus, is added in small amounts to teas, sauces, salads, cheeses, canned goods, soups, pasta and pizza. Rosemary herbs are used in cosmetology, aromatherapy and alternative medicine.

Botanical description

Rosemary is a heat-loving plant with a strongly branching stem, reaching 2 meters in height. The shrub has a well-developed root system with a lot of layering: individual roots can penetrate to a depth of more than 3, 5 meters. The young branches of the plant are tetrahedral, green, and the old ones are woody, covered with hard bark of a grayish-brown shade. Linear rosemary leaves resemble pine needles. From above they are glossy and leathery, and from the bottom - felted.

May shrub blossoms in small fragrant blue flowers, collected in false whorls in the upper part of the stem. Rosemary fruit is a small nut that ripens in September and has a brown color and a rounded ovoid shape.

Nutritional Value

100 g of green rosemary contains:

3, 306 g of proteins;
5, 857 g of fat;
20, 688 g of carbohydrates;
14, 017 g of dietary fiber;
67, 68 g of water;
2, 341 g of ash.

The product contains a complex of essential and non-essential amino acids, phytosterols, tannins, alkaloids (rosemarycin), essential oil, rosemary and ursolic acid.

Vitamins in rosemary

100 g of fresh green rosemary contains:

The niacin equivalent (PP) is 0.913 mg;
ascorbic acid (C) - 21, 744 mg;
folic acid (B9) - 108, 664 mcg;
pyridoxine (B6) - 0, 337 mg;
pantothenate (B5) - 0, 803 mg;
Riboflavin (B2) - 0, 151 mg;
thiamine (B1) - 0, 033 mg;
retinol equivalent (A) - 147, 011 µg.

Useful elements in the green of the plant

Trace elements in the composition of the spice (based on 100 g):

iron - 6, 483 mg;
manganese - 0, 947 mg;
copper - 302, 016 mkg;
zinc - 0, 927 mg.

Macroelements per 100 g of rosemary:

potassium - 667, 032 mg;
calcium - 316, 523 mg;
magnesium - 90, 836 mg;
sodium - 25, 718 mg;
phosphorus - 66, 063 mg.

Calorie rosemary

100 g of fresh green rosemary contains 132, 077 kcal, in one branch - 12, 941 kcal, in a small bundle - 67, 314 kcal. In the same amount of dried spices, 334, 188 kcal are present, in a tablespoon - 41, 804 kcal, in a teaspoon - 8, 943 kcal.

Useful Properties

Rosemary is a rich source of vitamins, useful macro- and microelements. Therefore, people who regularly add this spice to snacks and main dishes are less likely to experience manifestations of hypovitaminosis.
Rosemary wine is an effective remedy for impotence. This drink can be prepared at home. To do this, chop 45 g of fresh greens with a knife, pour it with a liter of dry white wine and put in a dark, cool place. After 13 hours, the liquid must be filtered. Ready wine should be drunk 1 sip before each meal. A number of specialists in the field of alternative medicine believe that this tool helps women get rid of frigidity.
Rosemary powder is useful to take orally in 1/2 tsp for headaches, dizziness, nervous tension or stress. For its preparation, it is necessary to grind dried plant leaves in a coffee grinder.
Rosemary contains substances that can increase blood pressure. That is why dishes with the addition of this spice are useful for people suffering from hypotension.
Rosemary tincture helps restore visual acuity. To prepare it, 15 g of crushed leaves of a plant must be poured with a glass of vodka and the mixture obtained is insulated in a dark place for at least 9 days. Strain the liquid should be taken 27 drops three times a day before meals.
For diseases of the joints, it is helpful to drink an infusion prepared on the basis of a collection of white willow bark and dried rosemary leaves (1: 1). In order to prepare this healing tea, you must pour 2 handfuls of vegetable raw materials with a liter of boiling water and leave for 2 hours. Strain the liquid to drink during the day in small portions.
Dishes with rosemary have choleretic properties and help eliminate inflammation in the gallbladder tissues.
The greenery of the plant contains substances that accelerate the elimination of “harmful” cholesterol from the body, preventing its deposition on the walls of blood vessels. Therefore, snacks and drinks with the addition of this spice are useful in the initial stages of atherosclerosis.
The smell of rosemary oil can quickly bring a person to consciousness unconscious.
Annual rosemary sprouts contain compounds with pronounced astringent properties. Therefore, traditional healers recommend drinking a decoction prepared on their basis, with strong diarrhea.
Substances present in rosemary juice have antimicrobial properties (it has been proven that they effectively destroy fungal microflora, streptococci, staphylococci and E. coli). Therefore, decoctions and infusions of greenery of this plant can be used for rinsing the mouth and throat with tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, stomatitis, gingivitis and other otorhinolaryngological and dental diseases.
On the basis of rosemary, you can prepare a tool that promotes weight loss. To do this, combine the leaves of the plant with the flowers of thorns, grass of wormwood, sage (all ingredients should be taken in equal volumes) and mix thoroughly. A handful of drug collection should be poured 600 ml of boiling water and insist 17-20 minutes. The finished product should be divided into several portions and drink them during the day.
Rosemary infusion has anti-inflammatory, expectorant and softening properties. That is why it is recommended to drink in diseases of the upper respiratory tract, accompanied by the development of the inflammatory process or the appearance of cough.
Rosemary tea helps to strengthen the immune system, increase the body's resistance to infections, and speed up its recovery after prolonged illnesses. To prepare the drink, you need to pour 3 sprigs of the plant with 400 ml of boiling water, wait a quarter of an hour and strain it thoroughly. Ready immunostimulating tea should be drunk during the day.
Folk healers recommend washing difficult healing wounds and ulcers on the body with a strong decoction of rosemary leaves.
Rosemary oil has a pronounced analgesic and anti-spasmodic action. That is why traditional healers recommend rubbing it into problem areas with traumatic soft tissue injuries, rheumatism, muscle pain, arthritis and spasms.
Broths and extracts of rosemary leaves and shoots have a beneficial effect on the digestive system. They help get rid of flatulence and bloating, increase intestinal motility, speed up the production of digestive juices, improve appetite.
Rosemary green tea accelerates metabolic processes in the body.
Rosemary essential oil promotes the resorption of scars and scars. To achieve a therapeutic effect, it is enough to treat the problem area with this tool once a day.
Rosemary tea has a positive effect on the reproductive system in women. This drink helps to normalize the menstrual cycle, reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, get rid of pain during menstruation and minimize the unpleasant symptoms of menopause.
The aroma of rosemary helps to relieve overwork, increase brain activity, improve the ability to remember information, recover from strong psycho-emotional upheavals.
Baths with rosemary decoction have a tonic effect on the body.

Rosemary in cosmetology

Rosemary essential oil is an effective remedy for acne and pimples. The drug must be dotted with a cotton swab on each syphonic element and left for half an hour. The procedure should be repeated daily during the week.
With the help of rosemary-based wraps, you can quickly get rid of cellulite.
Rosemary contributes to the narrowing of enlarged pores on the skin. To achieve a stable therapeutic effect, it is enough to add a few drops of the essential oil of this plant to creams and cosmetic masks.
Massage using rosemary essential oil helps to rejuvenate the skin, improve its relief and increase its elasticity.
A decoction of rosemary leaves and shoots can be used as a hair rinse. With regular use of this tool curls become obedient and shiny, accelerate their growth.
Hair masks with rosemary strengthen hair follicles and prevent the development of alopecia.
A scalp massage using rosemary essential oil helps to get rid of dandruff.
Based on rosemary, you can make a refreshing face tonic. To do this, dissolve 6 drops of the essential oil of this plant in a liter of cold water, add 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar and mix well. The resulting liquid should wipe the skin of the face and body twice a day.

Contraindications and harm to rosemary

Dishes generously seasoned with rosemary get an unpleasant bitter aftertaste.
Greens are contraindicated in people who have been diagnosed with kidney disease.
Rosemary contains substances that stimulate the contractility of the uterus. That is why pregnant women are advised not to use this spice.
People with sensitive skin are advised to consult a dermatologist before using rosemary essential oil outside.
Rosemary contains a whole complex of compounds that increase blood pressure. Therefore, the greens of the plant is contraindicated hypertensive.
Doctors do not recommend including this spice in the diet of people suffering from epilepsy.
It is forbidden to add rosemary to drinks, meals and snacks during lactation.
The absolute contraindication to the use of rosemary is the individual intolerance of this product.
Essential rosemary oil has phototoxic properties. Therefore, it is undesirable to apply on the skin before sunbathing.

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